2. THE HISTORY OF
JEWELRY BOX
• The history of the jewelry box dates back centuries. Throughout the
ages, jewelry boxes have been designed and crafted by skilled
craftsmen. The Industrial Revolution initiated the concept of mass
production. It enabled the middle class of the society to purchase
decorative items like the jewelry box along with other essential
commodities. This was possible as jewelry boxes could be
manufactured in bulk and the cost involved in the mass production
was less.
• Mail Order Luxuries
• In the early 1900s, mail order catalogs such as Sears, Wards and
Marshall Field, enabled the average family to purchase jewelry boxes
from home. Even the jewelry stores put on display the latest and
trendiest jewelry box designs. Jewel boxes were available in all sizes,
from the smallest ring box to handkerchief and even glove sized
boxes. The bottom parts of these boxes were as beautiful as the top
design.
• Antimonial lead was the most common base metal used for the
construction of jewelry boxes. Initially, the jewelry boxes were
electroplated with copper, and then finished with either gold or
silver. Other finishing touches included French Bronze, Roman Gold,
Pompeian Gold, French Gray, and Parisian Silver. Ivory finishes were
introduced around 1911. Enamel finished boxes lasted longer than gold
or silver boxes.
•
International Influences on Jewelry Boxes
• International trade and travel opened new doors to decorative styles
all over the globe. During the early 1900s, the most outstanding
decorative style of jewelry boxes was Art Nouveau. It was a
romantic design that was famous for its flowing, asymmetrical
lines, with motifs relating to nature. The Nouveau design reflected
flower sentiments on jewelry boxes; the four-leaf-clover for good
luck, daisies for innocence, roses for love and beauty, and so on.
3. Proper Jewelry
Storage
• Believe it or not, many people abuse their jewelry. They keep them in
drawers, in random boxes, and even left on countertops. Even if
you've been lucky enough not to lose any pieces of your collection, not
properly storing your jewelry can lead to damage and lost pieces. If
you want to keep your jewelry safe, here are some jewelry storage
tips.
• Purchase a Jewelry Box for Jewelry Storage
• A jewelry box is the best way to store your jewelry and keep your
collection safe. Your jewelry box doesn't need to be fancy. It just
needs to be able to handle the type of jewelry you have. For example,
some jewelry boxes are designed specifically for rings while others
are designed for necklaces and bracelets. You don't want to force
your jewelry into a box that's not designed for it. Instead find one
that can house your individual items appropriately. A jewelry box is
the perfect solution for your jewelry storage needs.
• If Jewelry Boxes aren't Your Thing, Get a Jewelry Organizer
• Some people just don't want a jewelry box or don't have enough pieces
to justify purchasing one. This is understandable, but it doesn't solve
your jewelry storage issue. So, instead of a jewelry box, get yourself
a jewelry organizer. Jewelry organizers vary in design and shape.
Some organizers are segmented, lined trays designed to store all
your jewelry pieces while others are specifically crafted stands for
specific pieces, such as bracelets and necklaces. The key to selecting
the right jewelry organizer is to purchase one that can store all
pieces in your collection without the jeopardizing the integrity of
each piece. So if a jewelry box isn't your thing, but you're still looking
for a jewelry storage solution, a jewelry organizer is what you need.
• Jewelry Storage for On the Road
• Taking your jewelry box with you when you travel is not normally an
option. However, that doesn't mean you can't safely store your
jewelry to take along on a trip. There are travel jewelry organizers
6. GOLD
• Gold is the most popular choice for
men's and ladies wedding rings and
engagement rings. Gold is also very
popular in dress rings, earrings,
pendants, necklaces and bracelets.
• There are two things to consider
when looking at gold. First, which
gold carat to choose and second,
the gold color or the combination
of gold colors available.
7. Gold carat
• There are several carats available for gold.
• The carat is the gold content of the metal. The
carat measures the proportion of pure gold mixed
with other metal alloy to make up the final metal.
• The carat of gold is represented in many countries
by the abbreviation ct. Carat can also be called
karat, represented by kt or K.
• You may notice that carat or ct is also used to
measure the weight of diamonds and gemstones.
Although the same name is used, the two
measurements are measuring different
characteristics of jewelry.
• The gold carats normally used in men's wedding rings
are 9kt, 14kt and 18kt.
• The higher the proportion of gold used in the final
metal, the more valuable and expensive the metal
will be. So all other things being the same, an 18kt
ring will be more expensive than a 14kt ring and a
14kt ring will be more expensive than a 9kt ring.
8. Platinum
• Platinum is a white metal, but unlike gold it is used in
jewelry in almost its pure form (approximately 95% pure).
Platinum is extremely long wearing and is very white, so it
does not need to be rhodium plated like white gold does.
• Platinum is very dense and heavy metal, so a platinum ring
will feel heavier than an 18kt gold ring.
• Platinum is, however, significantly more expensive than
gold. With all other things being the same, a platinum ring
will be approximately twice the price of an 18kt white gold
ring.
• Platinum is a prestige choice and is often chosen for its
sophisticated appeal and popularity amongst the rich and
famous.
• Platinum is normally not used in the full range of jewelry
products due to its higher price.
• Platinum is mainly used in ladies engagement rings, ladies
wedding rings and men's wedding rings.
• Platinum can also be used to make dress rings, though it is
not commonly used to make earrings, pendants, bracelets
or necklaces.
10. Titanium
• Titanium is a natural element which has a silver-greyish-white color.
Titanium is the hardest natural metal in the world. It is very strong, three
times the strength of steel and much stronger than gold, silver and
platinum and yet is very light weight. Pure titanium is also 100% hypo-
allergenic which means that it if safe for anyone to wear as it will not
react to your skin.
• Titanium provides several unique factors that make it a good metal for
jewelry. It is very strong, more dent, bend and scratch resistant than
gold, silver and platinum, is lightweight and importantly offers an exotic
array of colors which other metals simply do not.
• One factor to consider with titanium is that titanium cannot be soldered,
which means that titanium rings cannot normally be resized.
• Titanium rings made using pure titanium can normally be cut-off the
finger in the event of an emergency, though they are more difficult to
cut-off than gold, silver or platinum rings. Aircraft grade titanium rings
normally cannot be cut-off in the event of an emergency.
• Titanium is popular in earrings and bracelets for both ladies and men
15. Diamonds
• Diamonds jewelry are great and are very beautiful
at the same time. Diamonds jewelry represent one
of the most beautiful and durable choices at the
same time. Wearing pieces of diamonds jewelry is
also the symbol of a high and important social
status that will impress the others and will make
any woman look amazing. The diamonds jewelry
diversity is always impressive and amazing, so
women will surely find what they are looking for or
will choose something they will never thought would
like to wear. Looking to buy diamonds jewelry is
very easy if you will use the Internet. The huge
disadvantage of the online shopping is that the
clients don’t know if the diamonds jewelry look as in
the picture. Plus, it is very difficult to know if the
product that someone wants to buy has flaws.
16. Top 10 Brands of
Jewelry
• Top 1 HARRY WINSTON
• Top 2 BUCCELLATI
• Top 3 VAN CLEEF and ARPELS
• Top 4 GRAFF
• Top 5 TIFFANY & CO
• Top 6 PIAGET
• Top 7 CARTIER
• Top 8 CHOPARD
• Top 9 BULGARI
• Top 10 MIKIMOTO
17. Market Size
• Today’s jewelry and watch market is
rapidly growing, projected to rise 6.5% in
2004 to reach $57.1 billion. More than
half of U.S. adults bought jewelry last
year either for themselves or to give as
gifts. A new consumer insights study
from UNITY MARKETING, Jewelry Report
2004: The WHO, WHAT, WHERE. HOW MUCH
and WHY of Jewelry Shopping.
• The traditional way people studied the
jewelry and watch market has been
product-specified, so they segmented the
market according to fine jewelry and
watches made from precious materials
or costumes/fashion jewelry.
